The invention relates to collecting waste, e.g., the solid waste of an animal.
Animal and pet owners are often faced with the task of cleaning up the solid waste (e.g., feces) created by their animals. This task, although necessary, can be quite distasteful. The waste often has an unpleasant aroma and is not aesthetically pleasing.
A number of solutions have been developed to ease this task. These solutions range from professional services that, for a fee, will come and remove the feces from the desired area (e.g., a yard) to shovels and plastic baggies, which the user uses to pick up the feces. Shovels and two component collectors have been used for this purpose. When using a shovel, for example, the feces is visible on the surface of the shovel, and it is difficult to maintain one piece of feces on the face of the shovel when trying to pick up a second piece of feces.
Existing waste collection devices also are often heavy, cumbersome and difficult to operate. Frequently it is also difficult to empty the device. In one waste collecting device, a rake-like portion is used to push the feces into a receptacle generally configured in the shape of a dust pan. The feces often sticks to the tines of the rake. The dust pan typically cannot hold a large volume of feces, is difficult to empty, and feces can be seen from the top by the user looking down. These devices also are difficult to clean as the feces often sticks in the corners and surfaces of the dust pan.
There is a need for a light weight easy to use feces collector that can be easily emptied and hides the distasteful waste from view during the feces collection process.